Queen Among the Dead

If you connected with Disney's Brave, love YA fantasy, and want more Celtic lore on your bookshelf.... This book was tailor made for you.

The story reads very much like Merida/Jasmine, in an Irish setting. A princess who wants to escape the court and get out to see the world on her own, but not give up what makes her her. Magic and mystery, Xena vibes, mayhem, outlaws, war, and fae.... All wrapped up in a pretty green bow and presented like a prized feast for the senses.

This was a super interesting read! From the magical Celtic setting, to the amazing characters, to the intriguing plot, this book had me hooked! I haven't read many YA fantasy books set in a magical Celtic setting so this was a nice change from the norm for me. I loved how the magic worked and the unique monsters.
I loved the characters in this book. Neve is such a great protagonist. She's not perfect, yet she's someone you want to root for. Ronan is mysterious and hard to get a feel for at first, but I couldn't help rooting for him, too (even when his interests didn't always seem to align with Neve's).
The plot of the story kept me on my toes. There was more than one twist in the story that I didn't see coming, which I appreciated.
4 stars, and looking forward to reading more from this author!

First of all as soon as I saw the words Celtic Princess. Instantly was like yess I need to read this!! Truly an amazing fantasy novel. One of the best I've read recently. Neve was so well wrote. I connected so much to the story. I truly hope this book gets the hype it very much deserves. Cause that ending is splendid!!

A great Celtic story with great action and an amazing protagonist. Neve was amazing and her adventures were captivating. And now I'm reading more Celtic mythology because this was great!

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

Thanks to #Netgalley for letting me read an eArc of #QueenAmongtheDead by #LesleyLivington.

I'm a sucker for Celtic lore so this book was a must read for me and should be for you as well. Filled with magic it's full of banshees, shapeshifters, and Druids.

Magic has been outlawed as dangerous by the King, but Eire is suffering without her wild magic running through her soil. Spells are being traded under the Kings nose and magic still used by those skilled enough and savy enough to stay hidden. Meanwhile the Druids are the only ones allowed to practice magic and are building a massive temple for Princess Neve's father. Never finds herself stuck between being what her father wants and being herself. Of following the magic that calls to her blood and the voice of her ancestor in her head slowly changing who she is. With the help of an outcast named Ronan maybe she can set to rights her kingdom and bring Eire back to life.

I loved that this book was inspired by Irish lore. I also appreciated the glossary at the beginning of the book that explained and defined the various people groups of the novel. It made reading about them a little easier to follow.

This book immediately had me smiling and silently chuckling. (Sometimes not so silently.) Neve is a fun, sassy character. She and Ronan have great chemistry; I enjoyed their bantering.

I thought the battle scenes were well written. I’ve read so many books where the build up is great, but the battle is very anticlimactic. Not so with this novel! I was not let down.

Thank you NetGalley and Zando Young Readers for this digital arc in exchange for my honest review which is not affiliated with any brand.

A fantasy set in an alternate Ireland full of celtic lore and magic spells and druids? Yes please! And this book filled all my hopes and more! Sometimes the description of a book is better than the actual novel, but that is not the case here. This was a well written novel that was imbued with all the magic of the ancient Celtic society, and the author obviously had done her research, as although this is a fantasy, she clearly understood that earlier civilization. I really enjoyed this book and I hope the author will continue to write many more like these!

I was hooked from the very beginning into this action-packed tale. It’s a story full of mystery and wonder, with darkness lurking in every corner. Reading this book is a tangible experience. I was sucked into everything that was happening. Sometimes it can take me a while to get my feet firmly into a story, but that was not the case for this one.

I love how in-depth everything is. I often find that sometimes details are glanced over that could really add to a story’s strength, but this one is delightfully detailed without being fluffy. It finds a perfect balance that I think all fantasy readers will appreciate.

I immediately adored the sassy and fierce Neve. I love a good strong heroine that breaks the mold she is being forced into. If you like a girl with grit, you’re going to love Neve. And who can resist the wily bandit, Ronan, that she finds her path inexplicably linked with. I love their chemistry and banter from the moment they meet.

The author does a great job of showing us the characters’ personalities and motivations through their actions and dialogue. And we really get a transformative adventure seeing Neve’s growth as she evolves into the woman she both needs to be and truly is in her core.

Full disclosure, I know next to nothing about Celtic mythology, so I cannot speak to any accuracies as far as things in the story that are based on fact or purely fictional. But I think that is a good perspective to have on behalf of other readers because, even with no prior knowledge, I was able to follow along nicely with the story without any confusion. So, if you are like me and don’t know anything about Celtic lore, don’t worry. This book gives all the explanations you need to understand the world-building.

And what a wonderfully magical world it is, at that. If you love a story that is richly steeped in dense legends and magical gods, this is the perfect book for you. It’s an emotional story, at times, with lots of political intrigue through different factions of rebels and royalty vying for power. The complexity and layering of the plot is exquisite and the insight into the mythology is mesmerizing.

The writing style and tone is perfectly matched with the atmosphere of the story. The author paints vivid scenery that immerses you into every page. I felt as though I could envision every part of this journey. The ending is both compelling with its surprising twists and satisfying with its neat conclusion of events.

I highly recommend this book and it definitely deserves all five stars. I’m super excited to add this author to my list of favorites and I can’t wait to read anything she writes next.

Recommend for readers who love:
- Fierce female protagonist
- Rich lore and world-building
- Action-packed plot sequence
- Enemies-to-lovers
- Raw and gritty
- Tales of destiny

Riveting storytelling, full of fierce queens, secrets, moors, humid, chilled air... a great re-imagining of Irish lore.

Queen Among the Dead was absolutely fantastical! Livingston wrote a story that was so well written I found myself flying through the pages, unable to put the book down, pondering what would happen next. My favorite piece of this entire story was how believable the characters were.

The writing is clear and clean, and very immersive. The book hums along at a good clip, but the pacing makes sure we're given time to breathe between plot-intensifying moments. The story was absolutely engaging and the work that went into the settings was noticeable and superb. I felt absolutely transported and I'm so incredibly glad I was able to read an arc of this story.

Queen Among the Dead completely surprised me in a wonderful way. Neve, the younger of two royal princesses, and Ronan, a priest’s apprentice turned thief, have their first encounter as children. Their next meeting, in young adulthood, links them in with battle unexpected enemies on all sides, despite their different and sometimes contentious backgrounds. They rally unexpected allies and personal strengths they hadn’t known they had in order to rescue their land, Eire, from deadly foes.
While I occasionally got frustrated by the apparent lack of connection from chapter to chapter, it was well worthwhile continuing on to see how all the story threads wove together in the end.
I highly recommend this story to anyone, especially those interested in history and fantasy.

Neve is the youngest princess and Ronan is a Druid's apprentice/thief. They become uneasy allies... Neve must seize the throne with Ronan when the kingdom is threatened by a power struggle....

Lots of romance, court intrigue and action. Love both characters. Really like the setting and cast too. A terrific story with lots of wonderful characters. Terrific ending.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

What a ride! Livingston has written an engaging book that, despite being historical fiction, I could sell to my students as action or fantasy (it's an easier sell for most of them). While the ending felt rushed, the rest of it was an absorbing adaptation of Irish mythology.

Thanks to Netgalley and Zando Projects for the ebook ARC. All opinions are mine alone.

Celtic mythologies? Sign me up! This book was so easy to jump into and read. The world building was so detailed yet I found it extremely easy to understand as I was reading. The characters all had their own complexities and stories to tell which I found so interesting and really hooked me into the plot of the story. I'll be honest when I say Lorcan was truly my favourite because he really did seem like a good man. Neve was another character who I loved because she genuinely seemed strong and truly loved her people.

The way the mythology was woven through the book was so perfectly done, I found myself really enjoying that aspect as I read. While there were some spots that weren't as well paced as others, overall the book was done really well and had me falling in love with the world Lesley created.

Thank you NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was very enjoyable. Both familiar, in that the myths should always feel like we knew them deep down, but with plenty of twists that made sense, even if I didn’t see them coming. The narrative itself is cyclical as most myths will be, but has some beautiful symmetry that gives the entire story the feel of a an epic poem or ballad, which I suppose, at the core, is what it is. While the plot fully resolves, it leaves the door open for further adventures, and I feel like Neve and the gang will be doing much more for the bards to sing about.

"Queen Among the Dead" was an enjoyable story. I liked how the author incorporates traditional Irish/Celtic mythology and near Eastern (Egyptian and Scythian) mythology. The story focuses on Neve, the younger daughter of Ruad Rofhessa, the Dagda (Good God) of the Tuatha De, the ruler of Eire, and Ronan, a former Druid's apprentice turned thief. They had a life-altering encounter as teenagers, when Ronan saves Neve from a ban sidhe demon, and then Neve saves him from the fuath demon he summoned to defeat the ban sidhe. Neve and Ronan will not meet again until seven years later. The encounter with the fuath demon has changed Ronan, for which he blames Neve. Their encounters are tense, as neither one really trusts or understands the other. However, a series of internal and external threats will force them to work together and will result in them discovering unexpected things about themselves, including that they both possess great magical abilities and that they are more alike than they realize. The story has plenty of action and intrigue, with some rather good surprises.

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

I chose Queen Among The Dead for its beautiful book cover and the fact that it spoke of Celtic/Irish folklore. I'm no historian of Irish/Celtic mythology, just a fan, but the book's synopsis alone had me hooked.
Livingston tells a dual perspective from Neve, the main character, the King's youngest daughter, feisty, fierce, and dubiously determined to make the realm better for her people.
Since her father, the King, has outlawed magic and deemed it dangerous, spells are still being marketed and sold unbeknownst to the King. So while the King's Druids are resurrecting a temple on the King's behalf, his Kingdom is suffering without magic.
Neve, the ever-restless child of his, goes into the village and bumps into a thief, Ronan. Ronan is a smuggler of spells who just happened to be expelled from Druid school. So now he wants nothing more than to see the Druids gone from power.
Unlikely allies as the two may be, Neve and Ronan set course on the journey to save the people of Eire and, more importantly, extricate the Kingdom and its return to practice "MAGIC" because, without magic, the Kingdom is "DOOMED."
Livingston delivers a cleverly crafted Y/A novel with a breathtaking and imaginatively impressively descriptive world.
Livingston's characters are ambitious and likable, especially her main character Neve, with her heroic female role.
Livingston's word-building is thought-provoking and engaging; readers will be thankful for her glossary accompaniment.
You get a slow burn, enemies, to friends with a compounding stellar ending.
The deciding factor is that the excellent storyline will look for the author's future novels.
Kudos to Livingston!
"Great JOB"

Thank you, NetGalley/Lesley Livingston/ Zando Projects.Zando Young Readers/ For this eARC, for my honest review. My opinions are of my own volition.

I picked this up purely on the mention of Celtic mythology as mythology from across the world is a growing interest of mine and my students. It was an enjoyable story that also learnt into Eastern European mythology at times that I think my students will adore (reflected in my rating)

This is such an absolutely thrilling read.
I knew immediately that I wanted to read this book because who doesn't love Celtic myths I truly think that there should be more fantasy novels based on them.

Like all good epic fantasy, the beginning always has me completely confused and going back and forth between knowing what's going on and having zero clue. I love this type of writing because it is without the info dumping and instead throws you into the action which is amazing.

Ms. Livingston does an amazing job of world-building. Everything she wrote makes me want to visit her world. The characters are absolutely minding blowing!

I can't say too much without spoiling everything... but I loved this book and can not wait to own it in paperback as well as see more from this author.

If you like a good tale of fae set back in the day, a wonderful historic fantasy, then this is the book for you.

I loved this book because of the detailed use of the myths and legends of the Fae in Ireland, a land rich in stories to start with. You have the daughter of the Dadga, a Princess of her People, along with a thief of the normal people that are ruled over by the Dadga. And their tempestuous meetings and growing friendship.

This book is steeped in lore, cleverly used in this tale, one that has the potential to make quite the series. The writing is smooth and easy on the eye, as it were, the language flowing well even with the foreign words. Lesley Livingston has done a wonderful job with this, and I can not wait to see where Neve's story goes from here.

A stunning Celtic YA fantasy adventure set in the ancient kingdom of Eire, inspired by the legend of the first true queen of Ireland, perfect for fans of Shelby Mahurin and Adrienne Young.

A great Celtic story with great action and an amazing protagonist. Neve was amazing and her adventures were captivating. And now I'm reading more Celtic mythology because this was great! This is a story that follows Neve, an Irish Princess, on her journey of self discovery and taking over a kingdom. I loved watching our heroine grow into herself. Our antagonist is someone who always knew what she wanted in life and consequently reached out and took it. With great force! I also found myself constantly rooting for our underdog Ronan as he, too, grew into and learned to embrace his own destiny.

Livingston has written an engaging book that, despite being historical fiction, I could sell to my students as action or fantasy (it's an easier sell for most of them). While the ending felt rushed, the rest of it was an absorbing adaptation of Irish mythology.

Received an ARC from Netgalley for an honest review

RECOMMENDED FOR READERS WHO:
• Fierce Female Protagonist
• Beautiful lore & world building ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• Action 💥 packed plot sequence
• Enemies-to-lovers
• Raw & Gritty
• Tales of Destiny (Brave style)

Celtic influence
➣ refreshing twist in regards to the YA genre

Pacing, plot, character cast & the ending ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I throughly enjoyed this novel. In fact, it’s one of the few lately that has held my attention throughout the entire story. While I could see a few things coming, I never felt like rushing though it. I would definitely recommend it to friends.

I really enjoyed this book! It is very complicated at times, but the writing style is unique and I loved the characters. I also loved the Celtic and Egyptian inspired elements to the worldbuilding. Highly recommend!

This was such a cool and interesting read! I will have to go and find more books on the first true queen of Ireland because if the legend is as interesting as this book was I will be a happy camper.

I had never heard of this author but after reading this one, im excited to read more of their work. This book had the perfect percentage of bad ass female mc, romance, action, plot twists and magic. What a beautiful book.

Reader, this may be the book that redeemed YA for me. It’s a Celtic lore based fantasy novel about Neve, the youngest princess, and Ronan, an ex-Druid’s apprentice turned thief. When the two meet at children, they never expect to see eachother again, but through a series of at least mildly magical events, they come together.

I liked this book a lot, I thought the plot carried itself well, and the world-building was wonderful. I love how Neve’s story parallels that of her ancestors, and how that melds into the story. Despite feeling slightly rushed at times, Livingston produces a great story that is well-worth reading.

‘Queen Among the Dead’ by Lesley Livingston had me hooked from the beginning. Full of Celtic influence, this fascinating, unique story fully swept me away. Definitely recommend!

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book was WILD. And I loved every second of it!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This was my first Celtic mythology YA book and Love it. I found myself going down a rabbit hole of looking up Celtic myths after reading this book.

This Celtic Mythology fantasy was absolutely everything I wanted it to be. It reads like a cross between historical fiction and fantasy and brings a fresh perspective to the widely popular YA fantasy genre. As my most anticipated 2023 read, it was INCREDIBLE. The splash of political intrigue and literal kingmaking made it unputdownable. I will say, the first 50 pages is a bit of a (necessary) infodump, but survive that and you’ll love this novel! Thank you to the publisher for the advance copy.

I just loved this book so much! Everything was so amazing : the world building, the characters, the main story as well as the "side" stories... I think I could have read a thousand more pages of this adventure as I really got attached to Neve and Ronan... the writing is just so smooth and beautiful. Really a big YES for me and I truly hope there will be a sequel to this book as I feel like I can't get enough of this story!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Zando Projects, and Zando Young Readers for the opportunity to read an advanced reader's copy of this book for an honest review. (Publish Date: January 17, 2023)

“Queen Among the Dead” by Lesley Livingston was certainly more action-packed than I was expecting! Yes, there’s a slow burn enemies-to-lovers romance throughout the book, but so much more of the story is focused on women becoming the heroes and warriors that legends are made of.

The story has duel POVs following Neve, the youngest princess to the king of Eire, and Ronan, a Druid's apprentice-turned-thief. Both are equally exciting characters, and I found myself enjoying the portions of the book where they’re together better than when they’re apart.

While I found the story inspiring, unique and thrilling, I did have a few issues that lowered my review to 4 stars instead of 5. Without going into great detail, I was shocked by how quickly the story climaxed and ended. While most of the loose ends were thankfully tied up (since this is a one-shot book), it just felt unnecessarily rushed when so much of the rest of the story was evenly paced with striking details.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to any teen and young adult to likes Sci Fi / fantasy stories with lots of action and a bit of romance.

Really love diving back into teen fantasy!

I enjoyed everything about this, especially all the different relationships. They were so great. I loved their background history and their chemistry, the love and support for one another, the angst, the push and pull. Everything was so well executed by the author.

The characters were not perfect, they had their own struggles and obstacles they had to overcome before they came to the realization that they are better together than apart. I’m so happy with how everything wrapped up (or, did a cliffhanger, I suppose) at the end. It was such an enjoyable book.

A Celtic fantasy set in ancient Eire (Ireland). Neve is the second daughter of the king, who is hoarding the magic of the land with his Druids. The book starts a little slow and there are a lot of Celtic words used. Easy enough to look up but it does hurt the immersion a bit.

The middle of the book really starts moving and we see Neve begin to understand herself and her abilities. Along with figuring out who her true allies are. The ending is a mad dash of action and has some interesting twists.

I love Celtic mythology. But also a well-rounded YA fantasy. Refreshing to have only light romance. I can see people who like other mythology re-telling liking this book as well.

First off, thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this early. It was right up my alley, and I was able to connect to my heritage on a deeper level. I loved the world building, the magic system, the intricate lore, the characters, and most of all loved the way everything built upon each other for such a fantastic conclusion. I fully believe that this is a book that was well fleshed out, and so dynamic. There was nothing bland in Neve’s story, and I can say that it is well worth the read.

I found Queen Among the Dead to be a fantastically written and completely captivating book, from start to end! I flew through this book. I loved the main character, she was headstrong and resilient, and following her journey was really enjoyable. I will definitely be reading the sequel when it comes out, and hope that it's not a long wait!!

I received an advanced copy from netgalley for an honest review. 4.5/5

I am always looking for little to no spice book recommendations and this is absolutely going to be one at the top of the list.

Queen among the dead follows Neve, beloved of the wolf's journey in finding stollen magic with a little help from a thief and a few other outcasts. Will she also become King?

It was a slow build up and I feel the ending was quick but not in a bad way. The relationships all developed smoothly and it had some unique aspects too it. Overall I really enjoyed the read.

Queen Among the Dead by Lesley Livingston is a captivating, dual POV story with rich, Irish folklore world building and a cool, deeply complex magic system.

I’ll be honest with you - this was hard as heck to get into. There’s a lot of intense world building and fantasy politics and hard to pronounce names. BUT! Im actually so so happy I stuck with it, because it was so worth it. I couldn’t put this book down because every time I did, I would miss the world and the characters so much.

Ugh. The CHARACTERS. The FMC Neve was a fiery, hot-headed, spitfire (puns intended, iykyk) princess who would rather be a fighter than a queen, like her older sister and polar opposite will be (gotta love the strong sister relationship trope). Neve is more of a king than a queen - literally the definition of my favorite female archtype.

And then there’s Ronan. RONAN. I am so in love. He’s a thief with magic in his blood (did someone say royal falls for the commoner trope??) and a heart of gold. Something draws them together, but things go wrong every time. There were things I didn’t like about the book, but they were all masked by my LOVE of him.

Read for intricate world building, tense & thrilling fantasy politics, and a 🔥🐺🏹 girl meets a 🖤🌊🗡 boy romance subplot.

Thank you to @netgalley for an eArc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Loved the book, could feel the legend's power throughout. Main character and love interest have good chemistry.

I loved this book so much was a super fun read for me I couldn't put it down and honestly didn't want it to end.

Queen Among the Dead was described as, "a stunning Celtic YA fantasy adventure," and I'm not sure "stunning" is a good enough word to accurately portray its majesty – but it's a start.

The idea of reading a Celtic fantasy adventure honestly hooked me from the beginning, but what I ended up reading was so much more than what I expected. From the moment I started reading I was transported to Eire. Lesley Livingston's ability to make you feel the wind chill your skin, feel the urgency of threats find a home deep in your bones, and become electrified by the magic sizzling in the air is masterful. Neve's story is one I'll return to many times and I sincerely hope to experience more of it. Her character stood out to me and was both relatable and inspiring, a true legend in her own right. I also appreciated seeing the many facets of Neve, showing how a woman in power can be badass but still full of and expressive of emotions typically portrayed as detrimental to a woman in power. Not to mention the great, supportive men beside her. The way this book is written reads like a fable and I loved the way Livingston was able to tie in the in-novel legends that informed the story we were experiencing live.

This book is a hefty one. I'm not a speed reader by any means, but I'll take off reading a book without a second thought. This required more focus and intention to understand the gravity of the situations Neve found herself in. I read it more slowly than other books I've read but I enjoyed every second of it. Usually, when I read at this pace, I tend to abandon the story but Queen Among the Dead called out to me to return and finish the story. It's easy to take, fun to follow and slightly addictive.

I would recommend this to anyone looking for an adventure with magic, powerful and confident women, and a story that will stick with you.

The writing in this book is seamless. The world building whole slow at times (which is expected) is so great and easy to follow. The characters and plot are amazing! You can tell the author loves her Celtic mythology which makes the story even better because it makes the story stimulating and fun to read. Def. Will be recommending this to everyone I know

I loved this book. This was the first YA fantasy I have really enjoyed in a while. I was captivated from the very beginning.

Neve was such a fun main character to read about. I loved her strong, defient nature.

The magic system and world building was really unique and interesting to read.

This book is absolutely phenomenal. I loved it so much. Lesley Livingston does an incredible job fleshing out the history of Eire and describing the different forms that magic takes in this world. I adored the way Neve and Ronan’s relationship evolved, and Neve is undoubtedly an epic female fantasy character. This is an easy five star rating for me.

There are two elements that convinced me to read this book: the first is the fact that it is a retelling of the story of the first Queen of Ireland and the second is the fact that it is full of Celtic folklore. So considering that these are two topics that always fascinated me but knew very little about,I didn't let this opportunity pass me by!
× I admit that the beginning was a bit slow because the presence of a lot of Celtic culture terms with I was unfamiliar with... however, right from the start Lesley was able to transport me to Ireland and made me walk in its landscapes and feel the magic in the air.
& I loved the character of Neve: she is a proud character, who never tries to hide what she is and that embodies the essence of a warrior princess in a society ruled by men.
Ronan, on the other hand, I just want to hug him: he is a thief with magic running through his veins. And it was nice to see how in the course of the story he grew up learning to accept himself.
* What I liked most was the fact that I had the impression that I was reading a historical novel from the beginning to end: in fact, the author has included the element of fantasy while managing to remain faithful to what the places and culture of the time were, thus creating a great historical fantasy. So, if Ireland and its history have always fascinated you, I cannot help but recommend this read!

Lesley Livingston continues to surprise me every time I read one of her books. I adore that her stories always dive deep into whichever mythology the book is based on and I love that her female protagonists are always such badasses while also still being human. Yes, they can wield sharp weapons and prove their worth but they have emotions and personalities, too.

Queen Among the Dead follows Neve, a princess who wants to be something more than just second best. She wants to be king--that's right, king, not queen. Like all of Lesley's characters, Neve is freaking awesome. She's determined and smart. She knows what she wants and she goes after it with everything she has. I love her journey. I love what she does to maker herself into the king her people needs.

This book also follows Ronan, an ex-Druid who has more magic brimming inside him than he knows what to do with. Ronan is also an excellent character. He has that perfect balance of dark, broody boy and also a soft heart to care for Neve despite his best efforts to stay away from her. I also love his journey of coming to terms with who he is and embracing something different than expected.

I also love their relationship that starts off as wary allies, turns into sorta enemies, and eventually ends with them coming to terms with how entwined their lives are and that they are better off together. I also appreciate that the romance is a side plot that flows into the main plot and doesn't overwhelm it or take over.

This book also has awesome side characters, epic Celtic mythology and magic, excitement and adventure, and such a fantastic ending. While at first, the story started off a bit slow and I spent a lot of the book mixed up by all the Celtic names and references, the story really does pull through in the end. I can tell Lesley knows her Celtic mythology and I love how in-depth it was, even if I struggled to keep track of who was who and what was what when it came to the gods and stories.

But other than that, Queen Among the Dead is a solid YA fantasy with awesome magic and mythology and even better characters.

Such a fun YA fantasy romp!

Firstly, I’d like to say how much I adore this cover! It’s so lovely and I couldn’t stop staring at it while reading the book.

Secondly—this book! I was nervous because this has been an anticipated read of mine but I had no reason to be. I enjoyed the main characters and their relationships. Lesley does such a beautiful job curating these endearing and wonderful characters with seemingly real personalities and ambitions. I absolutely busted out laughing so many times! This book was so fun, twisty and honest!

What a fun ride! This book started off a bit slow for my taste, but once it got going I was hooked!

I particularly loved how magic was used, and the way it connected with the world-building and history of the world. It was really fun to learn about the different powers and types of creatures/people able to wield it. I also found it interesting how magic was used by those in power to control others.

Not only did I enjoy the magic and plot of this book, but I adored the characters. Neve irritated me a little at first, but she really grew on me as the story progressed. And Ronan was so delightful. I honestly just wanted to wrap them all in a big hug and keep them safe!

I would highly recommend this book if you like fantasy stories with magic and political intrigue, but also strong characters. I hope we get to see more from this world soon!

I’ve had Lesley Livingston on my TBR for a while, most particularly her “The Valiant” series which follows a female gladiator. That sounded really interesting to me…and I just haven’t actually picked it up yet. So this is my first experience with her writing. But I’m also a sucker for books based on legends and fairytales and mythology, and I find Celtic tales to be fascinating, so that definitely made me keen to pick this one up.

A lot of terms and names get thrown out into the story in the beginning, and it can be a bit difficult to follow for a little while and get your bearings near the start if you don’t have basic understanding of Celtic lore. But stick with it, and the pieces will begin to fall into place.

Both Neve and Ronan are interesting characters, and between the two of them there is plenty of tension and conflict, which brings about action and magic. That is what kept me going in the early parts of this book, the fact that these two characters were so compelling. I wanted to know more about them.

The summary of this book says it is for fans of Shelby Mahurin, Adrienne Young, Brigid Kemmerer, and Tricia Levenseller…well those are some big comparisons to try and make. I can see where the stories have similar elements and vibes. But I didn’t fall into this story as quickly as I do with books by the aforementioned authors.

That doesn’t mean that I didn’t enjoy this book. After I really started to get drawn into the story, it didn’t take much longer to devour the rest of the story. The magic and lore and action and mystery of it all kept me flipping pages late into the night.

So…I guess this means I should probably pick up The Valiant sooner rather than later.

This book was engaging, well written and overall an excellent novel.The world building was thorough, though I did find it took a while before I could remember what the names of each group of people and place meant. The story itself was full of adventure and mystery, I found myself fully engaged and not wanting to put the book down. The main female character Neve is strong and fierce in her fight to be all she can be, and the main male character Ronan is brave and cunning. Getting povs from both these characters added depth to the story and helped develop the many facets of the kingdom using the perspectives of a princess and a Druid-turned-thief.

A fascinating tale with tragedies and parallel story lines. This story features a strong female protagonist, relationships that are more than they seem, and a fight for a kingdom. This book explores the questions of classism vs everyone having a voice. A brilliant, and sometimes scary, YA fantasy journey.

4.5 stars

I’m seriously hoping that Queen Among the Dead is the start of a series because I have not gotten enough of this incredible world.

I loved the subtlety of Livingston's writing. As the worldbuilding takes place, you’re introduced to these young characters who quickly win you over. And as things start to come together, you’re not really sure where it’s headed, but you can tell it will be big. I had no idea what to expect or who would survive, and I was hooked on every page.

The sheer amount of worldbuilding that takes place is incredible. Did I understand every word? No. Did I love all of it? Most definitely. The magic system and its potential after years of eradication was breathtaking. As Ronan and Neve discover their powers and are consistently drawn to each other despite usually trying to stay as far away as possible, you’re drawn into their world. I did feel a little bad for Sakir - he spent so much time by Neve’s side, training her and covering for her, and he’s totally blindsided when Ronan comes on the scene. Then, suddenly, there’s magic and betrayals and tough choices to be made. I think Una and Lorcan and a lot of the other side characters (particularly from Ronan’s side of town) were a little underdeveloped, but they did serve their purpose.

I’ve got my fingers crossed for this to turn into a series (as long as no annoying love triangle develops). I’m not ready to leave this world, particularly Neve, behind.

inspired by the legend of the first true queen of Ireland, this novel is a beautiful Celtic fantasy adventure. Neve is the youngest princess of a king who has outlawed magic and it is jealously hoarded by his Druid priests. Ronan is a Druid apprentice-turned-theif who makes a living sellingnstolen spells. They should be enemies but their shared hatred of the Druids makes them allies, When the kingdom of Eire is threatened, Neve must seize her chance at the throne with Ronan’s help. There follows a magical journey.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Zander Young Readers for his e-arc.*

I loved the twists and turns in this book. Neve and Ronan have the best banter, and I really enjoyed their interactions as they became friends.

I definitely can’t wait to see what Lesley does next!

I never really listen to audio books (don't worry I am not one those people who don't believe audio books are reading, I just have a hard time with this thing called *focus*), but this book made me wish I listened to an audiobook just so I could hear the accents. I just know I would be drooling.

Okay, so we have Eire. A land that was once filled with magic but now it's pretty much gone and outlawed by the powers that be. Neve - the defiant second-born princess who has all of your sassy, bad ass YA MC characteristics and wants to be King. Not an entirely original concept but the world is built nicely and the history of the world is enough to make up for that. (Hint: it involves unhinged murderous women).

What makes this book different and why should you read it, you may ask?
- It's full of Celtic mythology (which I know very little about but I feel like its objectively interesting) There's rune magic, creepy apparition demons, sketchy Druids, magic artifacts, shapeshifters etc.
- Women aren't allowed to rule/ become warriors - which is not uncommon in stories with this type of setting. But the WHY is the best part. Remember that mention of unhinged murderous women? Women aren't allowed to rule not because men just find them "incapable" or "weak", but because history has made men SCARED of them. If that isn't enough to make you smile.
- It's supposed to be inspired by the legend of the first true Queen of Ireland - and there are some historical elements and landmarks mentioned throughout the story that would probably be really cool if you knew anything about Ireland/ the legend.

Overall, I had a good time reading the story and the world building that some people said was the hardest part to get into was actually my favorite part. I do feel like the ending/ the climax was rushed or at least could have been stronger. The pacing of the first 75% of the story did not match the last 25% and I was a little underwhelmed. I would still definitely recommend this to anyone who likes Adrienne Young's books, it especially reminded me of Sky in the Deep. You're thrust into this fascinating cultural landscape quickly and it never really slows down.

QUEEN AMONG THE DEAD, out TODAY, was a fun young adult novel that gave me Sorcery of Thorns vibes throughout. There is magic, mythology, action, dual POV, some romance, and strong characters, which are all what make this book so fun.

If you've read any of my reviews by now, you know that I am a fan of strong, female protagonists. A character that is not afraid to take charge, take what she wants, and not feel bad about it is right up my alley. Neve is that protagonist. She is a powerful, axe wielding, patriarchy smashing, fight winning woman who takes no prisoners. Throughout the novel, she is often compared to her more reserved and traditionally feminine sister, but she never compromises who she is or what she wants. She fights what is expected of her as a princess. I related to that and enjoyed Neve's journey throughout the novel.

I also felt the book was well written, and it was interesting to learn about facets of Celtic mythology and how the author combined this into the fantasy world she created. I don't know much about Celtic mythology, but I found the aspects that were in there interesting. However, I will say that because I didn't know much about this particular mythology, I did get confused at times. I think the author does their best to incorporate and explain those elements without information dumping, but with world building needed and having to explain facets of the mythology to the reader, I did find myself not completely understanding the world she created at all times.

I also had a hard time with the pacing. While it starts off with lots of action, which was awesome, it becomes less action based and a bit slow. I think this is, again, because of the world building, mythology, and then character development needed between two characters AND setting up for the plot twists and big reveals later in the book. Then the action picks back up again, but at the end of the story I felt like major, big events happen fast and without much detail. The plot just felt a bit choppy to me.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and I think it is worth the read! It is a perfect young adult novel for most. Just make sure you brush up a little of Celtic mythology!

Thank you to @netgalley and @zandoproject for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Queen Among the Dead is a fresh YA fantasy adventure that I enjoyed reading. Admittedly, there were a lot of terms I most definitely couldn’t pronounce, but the story itself was engaging and entertaining and I easily fell into this beautiful world. The story follows Neve, a second daughter princess, and Ronan, a former Druid apprentice and thief as they weave in and out of each other’s lives until they realize maybe there’s more to it than just coincidence.

I really enjoyed this book and I felt that the ending wrapped it up well enough that it stands great as a standalone, but I would love to get more books in this world! I want more Neve and Ronan!

The Celtic myth drew my attention to this story, but underneath it is a story about family, self-discovery, and courage.

Neve, the main character, was fun and inspiring to read about - brave, stubborn, strong-willed, a loving sister and daughter, and a rebel in some ways. She never let what people think define her.

The family dynamics were complex, and the twist toward the end was a surprise, adding some drama without the fuss. The character names and backgrounds are recognizable, based loosely on Celtic lore. It was a fresh take on immortalizing some of the deities.

The fight scenes were epic mainly due to the draw of emotion from the secondary casts coming together for a common cause. Something about the allegiance of the different groups was touching.

Overall an enjoyable read.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.